Examined the relationship between marital status and overall life satisfaction among black Americans. For women, the married, widowed, and divorced are more satisfied with their lives than are the separated or single. However, when controls are introduced, these differences disappear. For men, the married are the least satisfied persons of any…

Determined if factors descriptive of work-family role integration would be more predictive of rural employed mothers' life satisfaction than that of urban employed mothers (N=237). Results supported the greater importance of variables descriptive of work-family role integration in predicting the life satisfaction of rural employed mothers.…

Compared 74 voluntarily child-free men and women with 127 mothers and fathers. Found significant differences in stereotype perception, decision making, and marital satisfaction. Although no differences existed in affectional expression or dyadic consensus, voluntarily child-free group displayed higher levels of dyadic cohesion and dyadic…

Examined antecedents of spousal support of husbands' work commitment from perspective of wives. Found spousal support influenced directly only by satisfaction with quality of life made possible by local work organization and length of involvement with organization. Marital and social adjustment, and perceptions of husband's work environment…

Longitudinal study investigated role of rewards and fairness in predicting satisfaction and involvement in premarital relationships among 90 college students. Found that relationship rewards were better predictor of satisfaction and involvement than were fairness; fairness decreased in ability to predict satisfaction over time while relationship…

Examined data from 231 rural elderly which revealed that a sister's availability was second only to physical mobility in predicting higher life satisfaction among older rural women. Among men, availability of a brother was also positively associated with life satisfaction. Effects of cross-sex siblings were minor. (NRB)

Compared levels of verbal and physical violence within 181 families with an adolescent family member's attitudes toward variables of family conflict and satisfaction. Suggests that nonviolent families are more likely to report successful conflict resolution than are violent families; increasingly severe family violence is associated with greater…

Examined United States national survey data from 1972 through 1986 General Social Surveys conducted by the National Opinion Research Center. Found rather steady decline from 1972 through 1986 in positive relationship between being married and reported happiness. Change occurred primarily through increase in reported happiness of never-married…

Surveyed dual-employed couple to explore causes of satisfaction with and arguments over division of household labor. Found husbands more satisfied with equitable division; wives more satisfied with division favoring them. Wives were more content if husbands shared women's traditional chores. Spouses disagreed about how often they argued over…

Examined data from nationally representative survey of Blacks. Found that both marital and parental status had important impact on levels of satisfaction. Blacks who were divorced or separated had lower levels of satisfaction than did married respondents. Important interactions were also found. (Author/NB)

Examined satisfaction expressed by 158 Southern Black husbands regarding life in their families. Modal response was that their family life was "good." Most closely associated with family life satisfaction was adjusted family income, followed by health. Education was significantly related in bivariate relationship, but not in the multiple…

Examined variables affecting life satisfaction in three categories of married women: those who are presently, formerly, and never employed. Results revealed that, while there are little differences among the three categories in overall life satisfaction, there are significant differences in the variables that influence life satisfaction for each…

Examined relationship of family life satisfaction to division of household work between men and women among married Black adults. Found women almost twice as likely as men to feel overworked by household work; people who felt overworked had lower levels of family life satisfaction. Found interactions among family life satisfaction, division of…

Examined relative contributions of stress, social support, and family resources to quality of family life in domains of marital quality, parental satisfaction, and life satisfaction. Data from 810 adults revealed that demographic factors, support, and resource variables, and stress factors made significant and unique contributions to explanation…

Compared the subjective and objective experiences of noninstitutionalized childless and parent elderly (N=338). Results showed few significant differences between the two groups, but trends showed benefits for both. The childless were more financially secure and in better health, while parents had more friends and more satisfaction with life. (BH)